Hikaru no Metsuki
by Hu Edith
Summary: Exploring his grandfather's shed after his father's death, Hikaru finds an Igo board haunted by Fujiwara-no-Sai. Curious by the event, Hikaru quickly forms a bond with the playful childlike spirit. Soon, Hikaru needs to protect Sai, Igo, and his mind....
1. Preview

**Alber Guinon (1863-1923) said: "When everyone is against you, it means that you are absolutely wrong--or absolutely right." **

--

"He's right there!"

The smallish boy pointed to a spot of air beside him, a determined lip jutting out.

"I see, of course he is there."

The psychologist smiled benignly at the boy, patting him gently on his head. With a duck, the smallish boy gave the adult a patronizing glare. Ignoring the boy, the psychologist tilted his head to his office. Watching them go, he kept his arms crossed, lip jutted out. The second the door closed, the boy raced forward and kicked the door.

"He's right here!"

--


	2. Chapter One

**So please don't ever change,  
No don't you ever change.  
I kind of like you  
Just the way you are.  
**

**Beatles, Don't Ever Change**

--

It wasn't much of a secret that the young boy, Shindo Hikaru and the older psychologist, Dr Jimyoin started off on the wrong foot. Well, according to Shindo Hikaru anyway. After claiming that his invisible friend was in fact real and showing a brazen amount of unthinkable violence at the door (which, no worries to our audience, was replaced along with the doorframe), Shindo Hikaru was a very unhappy boy.

The young boy had taken a sudden and uncharacteristic liking to Igo, and scared the wits out of the people around him. Shindo Hikaru was initially frightened himself by actually wanting to play the game.

Initially.

Soon, Igo became a thing of fascination and he would spend hours racing off to Igo Salons instead of his soccer league practices. His mother was horrified to find out young Hikaru was traveling the city alone to get to a nearby Igo Salon. She had no idea of the growing interest until a talk with her son and AFTER the soccer coach called her nearly a month after Hikaru stopped showing up. He had thought it…other reasons, basic assumptions of her wanting Hikaru home after the…recent ghastly event for the Shindo family.

Hikaru told his mother he no longer wanted to play league soccer with his friends. The boy still liked playing with his friends at the park but he was interested in learning Igo. When asked on why, he told her simply, "I want the eyes Sai has. And then I will be able to see it! Sai is teaching me!"

With a frown, Shindo Hikaru's mother asked who this Sai person was and if she'd met him. Hikaru laughed and told her Sai was standing beside him. It was then the young boy seemed to realize something.

"Oh yeah," he laughed. "Sai said I'm the first since Torajiro to see him. Don't feel bad mom. Sai's real annoying. It's a good thing you can't see or hear him—ow! SAI!"

It was around that time Shindo Hikaru's mother became worried. She decided to talk this out with Shindo Heihachi, Hikaru's grandfather. Hikaru had been acting strangely since the last visit but she had thought her son realized his father…

She shook her head. There had been that fainting accident in Heihachi's attic when the pair had allowed him to explore while procedures of…with her husband.

Wiping away her tears, Shindo Hikaru's mother called to inform Heihachi of their visit. Hikaru's face brightened at the thought of a visit.

"I get to visit Gramps?" The little boy asked excitedly. He was young enough that he didn't remember they visited last month. And Shindo Mitsuko doubted her son remembered why they visited the last time. Her son had just turned five, the day they buried the urn and took up on Shindo Heihachi's offer for a short visit. It was a good idea, especially faced with going home without even that small part of her husband there. A good idea until Akari came screaming down the stairs, yelling about Hikaru. She was struck out of her thoughts as her son demanded her attention.

"Come on Mom! Wait," the small boy paused to glance around. "Akari's not coming again is she?"

His mother shook her head. "No. Come on Hikaru, I need to discuss something with your grandfather."

"Okay!" Her little boy grabbed her by her hand in his eagerness. "Let's go!"

--

"Heihachi!"

Hikaru stood behind his mother at his grandfather's house, peering up at his angry mother. She only called his grandfather by his first name if she was extremely angry. Not wanting to stay if his mother and grandfather were to fight, he meandered off. He was curious about the Igo board his personal mentor was connected to.

"Gramps!" A cheerful voice sounded just around the corner. "Gramps!"

Shindo Hikaru put one foot in front of the other, carrying a hefty Igo board. This was same board that he had found in the attic only a month ago. The dark haired boy smiled from behind the board. "This is it," he proclaimed proudly. "This is the board!" The boy settled the board down careful not to drop it. He looked up to his grandfather with a broad smile.

"I hear you've taken an interest in Igo Hikaru." The boy nodded fiercely, unaware the dirty look his mother shot to his grandfather at the question. "You're not scared about fainting like the last visit?"

"Nope!" Hikaru said brightly. "Sai may have scared me a bit at first. He still does, talking about Igo all chirpy and excited like a girl. But, oh! And his eyes!" Hikaru waved his grandfather closer to tell him in a childlike secret matter. "He really likes it and I visited an Igo Salon to see if he just wasn't crazy. There are others! I met a boy named Isumi there learning it."

"You like this Isumi boy?"

Hikaru gave a half hearted shrug. "He's okay I guess. A little quiet, but he answered all my questions about Igo! It's changed!"

His grandfather and mother shared a look as the boy sounded like he was an old man to the game. Hikaru gave them a confused look.

"The komi rule is weird," Hikaru stated. "Isumi couldn't explain it properly at all to me. Handicaps! Why would anyone want a handicap? It's all the more bragging rights to the winner if one can beat the other without any handicap!"

Shindo Heihachi burst out into laughter at his grandson's last statement. Simply it was because it was such a statement only his grandson would say. Hikaru glared at his grandfather and then began to laugh with him.

"I take it you don't like handicaps, your mentor must play tough with you."

Shindo Hikaru's mother gave up on her dirty looks to sit down. It seemed her methods of stopping her son were not to work.

"Yeah he does!" Hikaru was quick to reply. This was the first anyone had believed he had a mentor. "Sai always makes me play black and a 9 stone handicap for teaching games. He always jokes about me playing even with him when I tell him I want an even game! He's not nice on the Igo board. Other than that, Sai's a crazed nut always thinking about his next game."

"I was pretty good back in the day, regional champ and all."

The little grandson smiled. "I know Gramps."

His grandfather leaned in. "How about if you beat me, I give you that board?"

Shindo Hikaru glanced down at the Igo board with some awe. "That was Torajiro's board, the guy Sai liked…. It's an important board," he looked imploringly up at his grandfather.

"That's right! I'm not going to let any mere novice steal it from me! This is your duty to your mentor!"

"Heihachi!" Hikaru's mother yelled from her seat. "Don't encourage that! This is why I came over here, to put an end to this!"

"Igo is a mysterious thing. It takes a hold of you in very compelling ways. If you pay attention and understand the simple rules, you get taken over by the strategic complexity. The tactics and strategies, variations of the simple ruled game to only two people can boggle one's mind. It gives me my high spirits back to see the regional champion's grandson find joy in it at such a young age. Not many think highly of the popular game at Hikaru's age."

"Gramps, this isn't my board to have. This is Sai's board." Clearly the boy had ignored his grandfather's comments on the game, more focused on what his grandfather had challenged him to. The boy stared at the Igo board sadly, not willing to take it quite yet. "It should be given to Sai but he can't hold it."

"What if you hold onto it for him, if you can defeat me? Which, I doubt you can!"

"NO!"

Hikaru screamed his indignation, ire, fury, and rage. He took extreme offense to some unknown part of his grandfather's offer.

"No," he repeated loudly. "It's too important to win in some trivial game! It's too important for jokes! This is Sai's board!"

Both Hikaru's mother and grandfather gave him odd looks. Unknown to them, a long sleeve wiped away a tear at Hikaru's defense of his unseen mentor.

"Oh," Hikaru said suddenly, his former outburst dissipated. "You keep it safe Gramps! You've been doing it for years! Keep it here! But we should use it! I will come every time I can to defeat you on Sai's board! Such a thing of importance should be used and not have dust on it!"

Heihachi reached over and rubbed his grandson's head. "You fill me up with pride. You're such a good grandson Hikaru," he said quietly.

"But it's a pity I will send your game into the dirt!" He yelled in glee as he pushed his grandson lightly.

Hikaru burst up from the ground, face full of dirt with a serious look. "I'll beat you old man!"

"Old man!? I'll show you old man!"

Hikaru giggled and let out a sudden shriek of laughter as he leapt onto his grandfather. "Oh yeah?"

"Yes, I will! Sit down brat and I'll show you you're proper place!"

The two continued to horseplay together for the remainder of the afternoon and Hikaru settled into sleep on the Igo board he had carried down. Heihachi smiled at the boy, remembering how Hikaru took his mocking seriously at the mention of tossing the Igo board into the trash to end the argument. Heihachi had been joking but Hikaru's outrage and thus defense of the board had made the older man chuckle.

"You don't think there's anything wrong with Hikaru?"

"Ah, Hikaru just has an imaginary friend," Heihachi replied. "It's a good game to become interested in, even if the interest dies with age like with most children's interests. There's nothing wrong with it. He has seriously put some worth on learning the game after the incident. I was worried he would be fearful of the game after fainting. That little girl seemed worried."

"Akari."

The two paused and watched the little boy sleeping atop the board.

"I'm not sure if this is good."

"Of course it's good Mitsuko! He has the top regional champ to help him along!"

The mother gave the grandfather a dirty look. "I mean this happening so soon after his father's death. Hikaru…he had no idea why people were there or why there was a knife. He still grabs the kitchen knives to 'protect the spirits'. It scares me. I don't know how to raise him by myself! I don't know how to handle this!"

"Shh!" Heihachi reached over to hold her. "Hikaru is just a boy. It's like a game right now; he won't fully understand until later…when he is ready to understand what happened. Right now, his father is gone. That is what dead means to him. He may come to think dead is a gone you never come back from, but he won't really understand his father is completely gone from the world until it is time for him to understand."

"But Sai's here," a small voice said.

Both adults turned to the boy waking up.

"Sai told me he's dead," Hikaru informed the pair. "But Sai is here. So my dad is still here too. As a spirit. He just has to wait until God needs him on Earth. Just like Sai waited for God to need him for Torajiro and I."

It was that moment Shindo Heihachi became worried like Shindo Hikaru's mother.

--

--

--

_"He still grabs the kitchen knives to 'protect the spirits'." – Shindo Mitsuko_

"The household shrine is closed and covered with a white paper, to keep out the impure spirits of the dead. This is called _Kamidana-fuji_. A small table decorated with flowers, incense, and a candle is placed next to the deceased's bed. A knife may be put on the chest of the deceased to drive away evil spirits." – 'Japanese funeral' from wikipedia

Hikaru is attempting to protect the spirits, especially the spirit of his father. Being told Sai waited for when God needed him on Earth, Hikaru has the idea of his father being 'here' for someone just like Sai is 'here' for him. Sai also has clearly informed Hikaru that only he and Torajiro have seen him. Hikaru has concluded his father is still 'here' but just cannot be seen by him. He isn't too worried about protecting Sai as he can see Sai. He cannot see his father though and worries more of protecting him.

--

_Her son had just turned five, the day they buried the urn and took up on Shindo Heihachi's offer for a short visit. It was a good idea, especially faced with going home without even that small part of her husband there._

"The urn is put on an altar at the family's house and kept there for 35 days. Incense sticks (osenko) are burned there around the clock (special 12 hour sticks for the night exist). Many visitors will come to the house, burn a stick, and talk to the family. After 35 days, the urn is finally buried on a Buddhist cemetery." – 'Japanese Funerals' from japan-guide


	3. Chapter Two

**Carl Jung (1875-1961) said: "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed." **

--

"Hikaru?" The small girl asked nervously as the small boy tugged her hand. "Are you sure this is okay?"

"Don't worry! I've gone there plenty of times Akari!" Shindo Hikaru reassured the fretful girl behind him. "Gezz! What are you worried about? You're the one who asked!"

"I know!" Fujisaki Akari shouted back. She raced to catch up and walked beside Hikaru. Soon, she glanced back and bit her lower lip. "But… What if my mother assumed going out meant going to the park as usual? What if she comes looking and doesn't know where we are? And," she ducked her head in embarrassment. "You still beat me Hikaru. What if I'm not good enough to play anyone there?"

Hikaru whirled around in annoyance. "Akari! I tell you, you'll be fine! You only suck compared to me because I've played more games!"

"Hikaru!" The girl wailed at him and then smacked the boy over the head. "You're so mean!"

The black haired boy's face scrunched up as he rubbed his head with both hands. "Aaaagh! Why do the two of you always insist I'm mean?"

Fujisaki Akari smiled broadly at the distressed Shindo Hikaru. "It's because you are mean that we can say so." Hikaru peered slowly up at Akari as he digested her words. "And I'm a girl; fully entitled to call any mere _boy_ I please an utter idiot."

She grinned at the anger Hikaru's face was displaying at the moment and then sprinted down the sidewalk.

"AKARI!" Shindo Hikaru hollered from behind her, giving chase.

The girl ahead of him bubbled out a laugh. "At least give directions or you really are mean to get a girl lost!"

Hikaru grumbled out a series of loud and extremely annoyed vocables. "Fine! Turn left four blocks from now! But don't worry! As I boy, I can outdo any mere _girl_ and easily catch up with the girl of all girls! HA!"

"Hey! Hikaru! Quit being so mean!"

Hikaru grinned from behind the girl. If Akari so wanted to insist, he could allow her for once to beat him. Perhaps. He wasn't being mean at saying it was probably best he catch up with her. But then again…she would probably kill him if he made her run the whole way. And she would probably kill him if he did prove he could catch up to her.

The first option was safer.

Akari would be too tired to actually be able to kill him.

--

"I," Akari huffed out. "Hate you Hikaru."

Shindo Hikaru grinned at the tuckered out girl. "Aw, does this mean I'm not worth giving guilt trips to?"

Fujisaki Akari glared silently at her neighbor. Hikaru whistled innocently and strode up to the counter with his arms resting casually behind his head. "Really too much to ask for," he muttered to himself. "She's as nitpicky as you Sai. And both of you love hanging around giving me a hard time."

The boy's unseen companion snapped a fan shut and shared out a thoughtful perception based off of Shindo Hikaru and his words.

Hikaru smiled slightly after a pause. "I suppose it is mutual. I do love doing the same. You both rise to the bait so easily."

"Hi-ka-ru! Hi-ka-ru!" The unseen companion cried and wiped tears off on long sleeves. "You hurt me so with such words!"

The black haired boy smiled at the spirit's actions, amused still at the spirit's childlike nature. The spirit glanced over to Hikaru over the long sleeves and saw the boy was only teasing as usual. A returned smile came with a "Hi-ka-ru" chided out to the boy. Neither took the reprimand on Hikaru's teasing seriously.

"Oh! Hello Hikaru," greeted a lady. She hurried from the back room to the counter. "You've been a while. Several of the customers have missed you. There have been three, no four requests on a 'Hikaru or Sai' game. My apologies on that Hikaru; I reminded the people requesting that you no longer play the game."

Hikaru shrugged. "It's okay Harumi. It happens every time I come. Listen, is Isumi here today? Akari would probably feel more comfortable against someone around our age."

Ichikawa Harumi looked to Akari and smiled at the girl. "Hello Akari. Is this your first time in an Igo Salon?"

Akari nodded and wondered on the casual friendship Shindo Hikaru and this Harumi lady shared. It seemed as if Hikaru was a favorite customer of Harumi's. "Yes Harumi," she replied. "It's nice to see the one Hikaru enjoys visiting."

Harumi laughed slightly. "It is understandable. Do see if you can get Hikaru here to visit more often Akari."

"Want to 'go out' next time I come over?" Hikaru asked eagerly.

"No way!" Akari shook her head and gave one of the looks reserved only for Shindo Hikaru. "This was a one time deal. You can keep teaching me on sand the next time we go out to the _park_."

Hikaru pouted and crossed his arms. "Coming here is the only time I'm allowed to play with actual stones. And the very few times Mom allows me to play with Gramps. Perhaps one, maybe two times I get to touch them. In the course of three months. Of course, the two times is pushing it as Mom keeps a close eye on me playing Igo."

Akari rolled her eyes. "Well perhaps if you stop bringing up Sai, even though she should know he's pretend."

Shindo Hikaru scowled. "I haven't mentioned Sai around her for about two years."

"Hikaru," Harumi interrupted the conversation politely as she could. "You're a bright eight-year-old with a passion for something you clearly have talent for."

"No, no! I'm not that good, really," Hikaru insisted firmly.

"You are good," Harumi interrupted Shindo Hikaru. "It's a real pity your mother does not allow you to play Igo, the game you so obviously enjoy. Anyone could tell with the way your eyes peer down at the board during a game."

Hikaru brightened and forgot about how behind his mentor he still was. "Really?"

"Your eyes can certainly see things others cannot, trying out combinations that have those four recreating your games to see what you are trying to accomplish. All the other customers may think you just another kid, but we see Isumi and you as the ones going places. You two will go places."

Hikaru ducked his head down. Shindo Hikaru had not realized that the four he regularly played with here had actually recreated his games. It was also embarrassing, with a glow of pride, to find out Hibiki, Noburu, and Yuudai thought Isumi and Hikaru were going places. Those three old men were always interesting to be around and play against with all their different styles. Even when Shindo Hikaru had first visited, they each had their own opinions on him.

"Oh, another youngling attempting to take over our turf?" One had said as he turned his back to the five-year-old Shindo Hikaru. "It's already retched enough that Yuudai insisted upon this too-nervous-I-can't-play Isumi boy."

"Retched too-nervous-boy taking grass," spoke another simply. He seemed to be watching everything with a faraway appeal.

A large man rose up at the first one's insult. "I dare you to say anything against such smart boys Noburu! This is the great game of Igo and I won't have you insulting on any expanding! One must go the true, manly path in life!"

"Igo Avenue is a gentleman's choice," plainly spoke the one still sitting at the table.

The first, Noburu, rose up as well. "And I won't have you insulting upon my very name Yuudai!"

"You contradict your own name Noburu," Yuudai pointed out loudly.

"Nullify," the one sitting spoke frankly.

Both standing turned to the one sitting. "Quiet Hibiki!"

The one sitting, Hibiki, angled his head upward and gave a small smirk. "To nullify an argument, I advise to play the boy and see."

Noburu and Yuudai glared at Hibiki. "Never!"

"Why would I allow the boy to be tossed aside so early by Noburu's nonexpanding ways?" Yuudai pointed out loudly.

Noburu scoffed. "Why would I allow Yuudai to play hero and help every boy entering this Igo Salon?"

It was then another boy stood from the table. He smiled. "Forgive them, they're always like this," he laughed with a nervous look to Noburu. He turned back to Shindo Hikaru. "I'm Shinichiro Isumi and I turned nine last month. I've been playing for a couple of years."

"Shindo Hikaru and I turned five two days ago! I guess Sai's not the only other Igo crazed nut…. Hey! Wanna play me or Sai?"

"Who's Sai," Isumi asked.

"Oh, you can't see him! He's a spirit," Shindo Hikaru explained.

"Oh, and it's a youngling who's hallucinating," Noburu complained with a loud groan following.

"Boy seeing desert with water," Hibiki spoke with a slight singing tone.

Yuudai glared at Noburu. "All children have imaginary friends! Oh wait, you can't expand! You probably never expanded your mind even as a child to have one!"

"Imaginary expansion. Possible or impossible for Noburu," Hibiki muttered the question to himself. "Impossible, things are happening everyday," he sang in English.

"Quiet Hibiki!" Both Noburu and Yuudai turned to yell at the other.

Shindo Hikaru chuckled at the memory of meeting the three older men who 'helped' Isumi and himself. At his last visit, Shindo Hikaru could win against the three about three fourths of the time and Isumi about half of the time. He turned to face Harumi. "Those three actually agreed on something," he asked skeptically.

Harumi laughed. "Well, as much as those three can agree on something. Back to your request, Isumi told me to pass on the information. His family moved a ways from here and he's going to a different Igo Salon. He also said he's become an Insei and he'll be waiting for you to come next year."

Hikaru's face scrunched up. "Isumi always talked of becoming an Insei. Your parent or guardian must be with you and my Mom wouldn't agree to such a thing. Besides, I'd rather play as I do every night."

"We're going to play more tonight Hikaru?" The boy's unseen companion bounced at the idea of playing more Igo. "Are we, are we?"

"Still," Hikaru continued in ignoring the spirit's usual behavior, "I rather hoped Akari could play someone more our age."

Harumi leaned in toward Hikaru and motioned him forward.

"Toya Akira is here today. He usually learns Igo at home, with his father. But his father has insisted Akira open his playing field and play more Igo players. Akira has been bored here the last month as he tends to win most games; your three old bickering men give him the most trouble. I've been hoping to introduce you two for a while," Harumi winked as she directed her gaze to where the boy sat. "Akira is a nice boy, eight years old, just like you two."

Hikaru scoffed. "Age doesn't matter. It's just fun to mess with Hibiki, Noburu, and Yuudai's heads with. And my Gramps."

"Hikaru, quit being so mean," Akari scolded him. "Harumi said nice boy. I think I'd rather play a nice boy than _you_ Hikaru."

Akari marched forward in determination to the back area where the boy named Toya Akira sat. With a heavy sigh directed at the girl, Hikaru followed. A trio of old men suddenly took interest in the black haired boy.

"Hey Hikaru!" The large one called out cheerfully. "Haven't seen you here for a couple of months! Isumi's left and that boy Akira," he commented with a jerk of his head, "is _very_ good, although a tad boring to play."

"Yes, boring," commented one with slight interest and looked up from studying the board. "Good, but no fire."

"Gezz Yuudai! Keep welcoming in the damn younglings onto our turf!" The one who stood up angrily at the larger man's welcome to Shindo Hikaru turned to the other. "Even Hibiki is of no interest in expanding! You know I win a point if Hibiki makes a personal remark over the matter!"

"Hey!" Yuudai spoke suddenly as he noticed Akari curiously wandering over. "Hikaru brought a friend! Sit down and play young miss," he pulled out a chair for the girl.

An inner glow surfaced as Akari had been called a young miss, chair pulled out for her as well. However, she bit her lip as the trio started up again. "Um, Hikaru?"

"They're _always_ like this," Hikaru explained simply much to the girl's growing dismay.

"Yes, they are," commented someone from behind the pair.

Both Shindo Hikaru and Fujisaki Akari jumped at the sudden sneak attack and turned to spot Toya Akira. The boy stood calmly, his shoulder length hair combed carefully. Hikaru's face scrunched up slightly and peered closely.

"You suck," he spoke simply and directly into the new boy's face.

Toya Akira sputtered; eyes wide at the very belittling and derogatory comment. "Why you!"

That's all the farther Toya Akira got out and his face reddened in attempting to properly spew something just as derogatory back at the black haired boy.

"Hikaru," Akari spoke with a glare. "Quit being so mean to people today!"

The boy faced with one of Akari's reserved glares only for him ignored the girl and sighed in relief. "Oh good! I thought with that ungodly amount of nice-nice female demure you would crack like Isumi when I attack his emotions!" Shindo Hikaru waved the thought away with a laugh, before Akari put an end to it as she smacked the boy over the head.

"Fire," Hibiki spoke simply as he pointed. The other two old men turned their heads to look and both grinned widely at the situation; for their own separate reasons of course.

"Play me!" Toya Akira finally managed to demand.

Shindo Hikaru scoffed. "Why should I bend to your demands? Twisting around my Mom's is bad enough, who says I play for your orders?"

Akari's face was one of understanding at that. She knew how much Hikaru disliked hiding his like of Igo from his mother.

"Play me," Toya Akira yelled louder. "I do not crack!"

"You did so just now," Shindo Hikaru screamed back to the other boy's face. "Obviously you're wrong and do not pass the qualifications of _ANY_ demands! I will not play you!"

"You will! I hold right in the manner you first addressed me! I have an honor to uphold on the Igo board! Play me!"

Shindo Hikaru's head turned and he slowly grinned. "I have no honor. Sit. You get to play someone who does, Sai. Beware," the black haired boy sent an almost evil grin over to Toya Akira as he sat. "Sai hasn't played anyone for a long time besides me. Two years now."

Any problems the spirit had with Shindo Hikaru's behavior and reasons, the spirit ignored as he was allowed to play a game. The spirit, Sai, was very excited at a new person to play. And Hikaru was excited to watch such a game between Sai and another, rather than viewing a game Sai played by playing the spirit himself. It offered a whole new perspective for the boy to see.

The trio of old men leaned forward, eagerly watching as they had realized there was some truth to Sai. None of them had seen any more of Sai after Hikaru blatantly told them he would play all of his own games. All three had realized it had something to do with the boy's mother pressing down on the boy's 'imaginary friend'.

It had been two years for them as well. Noburu was the only of the three that seemed slightly doubtful, as was his ways. Yuudai leaned forward in anticipation of the boy's personal hero. Hibiki merely directed his faraway expression at the Igo board between the pair of boys sitting down to play. In any case, all three knew of Sai in a sort of silent awe.

Fujisaki Akari had known Sai was still around over this time, as Hikaru only felt comfortable enough to share with her about his imaginary friend. The girl still hadn't realized Sai was an actual spirit. Igo was still relatively new to the girl, being able to detect certain playing styles was beyond the girl at the time. All she knew was Hikaru was good, better than her.

In any case, she was interested to see how the game would turn out between the two as she leaned forward herself. On one hand, she wanted to see Shindo Hikaru to win because she knew he was good and he was her childhood friend. On the other hand, she wanted to see him lose because she knew he needed a shock to the system to resolve his substantially visible streak of mean today.

Toya Akira looked to Shindo Hikaru, eyes ablaze and made the deliberate swift move. The board pa-chi'ed loudly and Shindo Hikaru couldn't help but to widen his eyes at the other's hold on the stone. He looked up to Toya Akira and spotted the eyes. The eyes! That look! This was it! To find a rival across the Igo board from you! Toya Akira's eyes spat the very answer to Shindo Hikaru.

And then Shindo Hikaru felt regret.

He was not the one playing. He was the one watching. He could understand Sai's need to play every game, every rival who faced him. He could understand what taking this from the spirit meant as he could feel it taken from him at the first chance. However, he promised and Sai didn't need to feel the pain of not facing the rival and the pain of a broken promise.

Eyes lowered, Shindo Hikaru played the next stone to Sai's fan point.

Toya Akira quickly made his move to the board, eyes still blazing. Shindo Hikaru lifted his eyes upward, unable to stop at Toya Akira's passion to the game. His own eyes began blazing. He would give Sai's moves this meaning. Focused on the board, Shindo Hikaru barely registered Sai's next fan point as he slammed the stone down with fingers of a beginner.

The stone glowed.

"Hikaru," the spirit spoke softly at his young apprentice.

The spirit continued to point his fan, Shindo Hikaru holding the stones still as a beginner but a new strength behind them. None after the first glowed, Sai noticed, but realized Shindo Hikaru was too caught up in the game to notice. Toya Akira continued with eyes ablaze only serving to push Shindo Hikaru further into the game's new significant importance. The trio of old men leaned in farther, Fujisaki Akari as well to note the fire brewing between the two boys playing. A few other people around the Igo Salon had taken notice, shoving forward slightly to keep an eye on the current game. One person shoved greatly to force the way forward.

"HIKARU!"

The audience jumped, Fujisaki Akari realizing the pair's disappearance had been noticed. Akari stared at Hikaru's mother with wide eyes and gapped as she realized _her_ mother was standing behind her. This was one of the very few times she wished she was wrong. Akari turned her head to Hikaru and was shocked to realize neither Toya Akira nor Shindo Hikaru had heard the screech. Both still played.

Yuudai realized who the woman was and stepped between the mother and son. "I can understand your view on Sai, but it is not honorable to simply stop in the middle of such a game. Hikaru loves playing Igo if you would allow me to say."

Shindo Mitsuko caught onto one word only. "Sai? Still on about Sai?"

"Oh, that youngling is placing his spirit's moves," Noburu spoke with skepticism at the idea.

"Expand your ideas," Yuudai hissed to Noburu. "She doesn't—ah, Hibiki!"

Hikaru's mother shoved past the trio and swiped her hand across the board, setting a clear stop in the middle of the game. The two boys turned in sudden rage at the action, eyes still ablaze as they glared down the person behind the action.

Shindo Hikaru suddenly realized he was glaring at his mother, who was traumatized by the look in her son's eyes. Igo and Sai, the game, her son still playing behind her back, against Heihachi was bad enough, and the look Hikaru had obtained from all of this…that strange and frightening look aimed at her.

"Mom, it's not! Look, I'm not, well I am but! Mom! You can't cut this game short! I promised Sai this game!"

Shindo Hikaru's eyes widened as he realized what he said and slapped his mouth.

"This has gone far enough."

And Shindo Mitsuko dragged her son out of the Igo Salon by one arm.

"No! Mom! You can't! I want to stay! Just listen to me! For once! No! Let go of me! You can't! You can't!"

"You can't," Hibiki repeated in agreement as Hikaru's objections could no longer be heard. Strangely, both Noburu and Yuudai nodded in agreement. Their love of playing Igo was probably the only thing tying the trio together, despite all of their personality differences.

--

--

--

**HIBIKI** 響 m Japanese  
Means "echo, sound" in Japanese.

**NOBURU** 伸 m Japanese  
Means "expand" in Japanese.

**YUUDAI** 雄大 m Japanese  
From Japanese _雄__(yuu)_ "hero, manly" and _大__(dai)_ "large, great".

- from behindthename


	4. Chapter Three

**Tryon Edwards said: "Right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions in the past."**

--

"But don't you remember the days of Ritsu?" The voice on the other line laughed. "Your little friend was four and three quarters of an inch tall. Not to mention a pretty guy who felt more comfortable and relaxed in skirts and dresses."

Shindo Mitsuko paused. "That's right. I'd completely forgotten." She looked to the old family portrait, the last one they took with her husband. The younger version of her son smiled widely at her. "Do you think Hikaru gets his friend Sai because of some gene I gave him?!"

The other voice laughed. "Don't be silly Mitsuko! You turned out normal enough. Like my little Keiko would say, 'there is no normal but only unique qualities'. Children are moments of wisdom. What's wrong with children's wisdom? I think it is because of that moment, that moment can be so easily forgotten. I've remembered all sorts of childhood moments I thought I had forgotten raising Keiko and Yoko." The voice paused. "That comment sounded strange out loud…perhaps Keiko has picked up her odd sayings from me."

"Yeah," Mitsuko trailed off. "I know I'm being silly. It's just when I see his eyes light up like that…. He's like his father." Well, actually, Mitsuko thought with saddened joy, Hikaru was worse.

"You shouldn't be sad. Your husband was a very passionate guy in his interests. He was so energetic when they moved him up to where he wanted in the company." The friend chuckled at the memory. Silence fell as the friend realized there was no laughter on the other side.

"Mitsuko? Are you still there?"

He was so passionate about his work that he didn't sleep and fell ill! The shining sparks in his eyes as he headed to work that morning, despite her saying he should take a day of rest. Shindo Mitsuko's face paled at the memory. Her mind flashed back to a year before when she had swiped an Igo board clean in a high moment of fear. The look in her son's eyes that day…

"I'm still here. I was just thinking. I think…. I think I've been…. I should talk with Hikaru! He was so young back then, he probably didn't realize! And neither did I till now! That's why this whole matter with Sai and Igo has scared me! It's not Sai and Igo but--! I'll talk to you later Ren!"

"Wait! What are you ta—"

The phone clunked down. Mitsuki hurried up the stairs and then paused at her son's door. How best to tell her son why she had a problem with his imaginary friend Sai and playing Igo? She was scared he would be too happy? In the midst of gathering her thoughts, she heard Hikaru closing a schoolbook.

"It was just a creak. Good," Hikaru mused to himself. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get it."

Hikaru's mother peered through the crack of the open door and watched her son.

The dark haired boy traced a straight line from a scrap of paper, giving a satisfied glance at the horizontal and vertical lines. With a quick glance to the door—his mother ducked from view—he scampered over dig out a bag from under his bed. Racing back to his makeshift board made on notebook paper, a bag of pencil eraser ends was overturned. Half pink, the other half blue.

"You can be pink," he said deviously with a smirk.

Mitsuko smiled at this. If she could count on one thing, she could count on her son's constant teasing nature.

"OW! All right, all right! If you so insist I win. Ha ha," Hikaru laughed at air.

The boy eagerly sat down before the square piece of paper. "17-4 Upper Right Corner-komoku," he muttered as he picked up a pink eraser end.

Pa-crink!

Shining eyes studied the board seriously for a moment. The boy's hand leaped up to action, blue eraser end set confidently down. So serious for a nine-year-old boy.

Pa-crink!

Shindo Mitsuko watched, fascinated. She shifted, not sure how long she had simply watched Hikaru in the privacy of his own room and own enjoyment. Her boy stared intently at the paper covered in pink and blue pencil eraser ends before him. He frowned, biting his lower lip before placing a blue one down.

Pa-crink went the paper.

A few seconds later, he placed a pink one down with less thought behind it.

Pa-crink!

He paused a moment, still not realizing his audience. And the game continued until Hikaru made the end of it apparent.

"ARGH!" He flayed about in a fit. Standing up in his fit of rage, he pointed a finger dramatically. "You never play against me seriously! TUTORING game! When can I play against you fairly!?"

"GAH'!" He flopped down onto the ground from the outburst. Sitting back up he quickly demanded, "This one! I will play against you fairly this one! New game!"

"Hikaru?"

Shindo Mitsuko peered about through his door. The dark haired boy jolted at his mother's sudden appearance. "Mom! I'm only doing homework!" His eyes flickered back and forth between the remains of the Igo game and his mother.

The oldest of the Shindo household shook her head. "No, Hikaru. I wanted to talk to you." She sat at the edge of her son's bed. "Sit down."

Hesitantly, Hikaru sulked over to sit next to his mother, sure of punishment of being caught playing Igo against Sai. However, his mother's question caught the dark haired boy off guard.

"Hikaru, do you remember your father?"

Slowly, Hikaru replied. "Of course I do. I remember him and…"

"And?"

Embarrassed, he pulled out a pocketknife to hold it before his mother's eyes. She laughed. He yanked the object away and stuffed it back. His face redder than before, Hikaru yelled at his mother. "It's not funny! I just like carrying it around. It's not like I actually use it," he muttered.

Shindo Mitsuko stopped her laughter and gave the dark haired boy a smile. "It's cute. But, do you remember anything else about him?"

Hikaru fidgeted and looked down. "Not much," he admitted. He didn't want to tell his own mom that he remembered Sai much more clearly than his own father. It wasn't his fault, Hikaru thought sourly. His father hadn't been around home that often and died when he was little.

"Then you don't remember the morning he left," Mitsuko concluded. Hikaru glanced up at this and racked his mind as if it would help him remember. He came up with nothing. His mother looked sad. "I'm sorry, we should have talked about this sooner. And I should have realized before now."

"Realized what?" Hikaru asked before he could stop himself. "Sorry," he muttered belatedly.

"It's all right Hikaru. Your father was very passionate about his company and had moved up to the position he wanted. He was the youngest cold case detective at the company."

He nodded. Hikaru knew the basics about his father. Quite a few people would reminisce of what they remembered about his father and his job was the most notable thing that described his father.

"He just moved up," Mitsuko repeated. "Masao spent all his energy on his job, looking forward to leading his first cold case. Every morning he would get up early, shower, eat, and say goodbye to both of us. And every morning his cough would get worse. One morning he woke up with his chest hurting him. I asked him to stay home for the day and to call a doctor."

His mother paused. Shindo Hikaru kept silent, drawing his chin over his knees. He could faintly remember that morning now. A loud pair of Tarzan yells echoed through his head. Hikaru frowned at the yells that echoed across his head. Why Tarzan yells?

"'Of course not!' That was his answer. 'I just hit a breakthrough last night and I can't just let it sit there!' He began to cough again and rubbed at his chest. You thought he was playing Tarzan and started pounding on your chest. He thumped his chest a couple of times, joining you and then left. 'I'll have the cold case solved by tonight Mitsuko,' he yelled out at me. They brought him to the Emergency Room that night. You were over at Akari's house while I was at the hospital."

There was a long pause as Hikaru watched his mother from above his knees. He wasn't sure if he should look at her or not. However, the boy knew one stark fact. His mother was crying. Silently, she cried.

"Mom," he scooted forward. "It's not your fault. Dad was just being… Being…"

Hikaru's face had paled.

"I know. That's why I wanted to explain to you Hikaru. He was very passionate about his job and the look in his eyes… He still wanted to go back and finish the case. I just realized that's why I have been so scared with you and Igo. You share that fiery quality with your father."

Shindo Hikaru and his mother sat in silence. Mitsuko stood up and went to leave.

"If you ever get ill, I am not letting you leave this house."

And Shindo Mitsuko left. Her son sat in the quiet of his room and let his mother's statement ring through his head.

"THANK YOU MOM! THANK YOU!"

The dark haired boy rushed from his room to give his mother a great hug from behind.

A long sleeve wiped at overflowing tears.

"What a beautiful apology," Sai wept. "I forgive you Hikaru's mother. I forgive you. You were scared of that eagerness in his eyes. I will make sure no harm comes to Hikaru. Destiny brought us together like stone placed by God's Hand."

Hikaru rolled his eyes around his mother's shoulder. Only Sai would say such a thing. He grinned though. Igo playing was now allowed.

--

--

--

"_He still grabs the kitchen knives to 'protect the spirits'." – Shindo Mitsuko, Chapter One_

_Embarrassed, he pulled out a pocketknife to hold it before his mother's eyes. She laughed. He yanked the object away and stuffed it back. His face redder than before, Hikaru yelled at his mother. "It's not funny! I just like carrying it around. It's not like I actually use it," he muttered._

"The household shrine is closed and covered with a white paper, to keep out the impure spirits of the dead. This is called _Kamidana-fuji_. A small table decorated with flowers, incense, and a candle is placed next to the deceased's bed. A knife may be put on the chest of the deceased to drive away evil spirits." – 'Japanese funeral' from wikipedia

Hikaru is attempting to protect the spirits, especially the spirit of his father. Being told Sai waited for when God needed him on Earth, Hikaru has the idea of his father being 'here' for someone just like Sai is 'here' for him. Sai also has clearly informed Hikaru that only he and Torajiro have seen him. Hikaru has concluded his father is still 'here' but just cannot be seen by him. He isn't too worried about protecting Sai as he can see Sai. He cannot see his father though and worries more of protecting him.

After all this time going by, it makes for an attachment to his father, knowing he has something to protect Shindo Masao with.

--

**Author's Note:** Gathering from some of the _**awesome**_ reviews you guys send me, there is some noted confusion on Hikaru's age during the chapters. I try keeping it simple in acknowledging Hikaru's age for each chapter. Hikaru was almost five when his father died, his fifth birthday was the day him and his mother took care of his father's urn and Hikaru met Sai for the first time. In the following chapter, he was eight years old. He sneaks to the Igo Salon as often as he can, Akari going there with him for the first time. In this chapter, it has been about a year since then and his mother comes the exact reason why she fears Hikaru's Igo playing. Sorry, she's not just a very overactive mother. Even though she knew she was scared before, she didn't know quite why. I know there are some other very good points and questions in your guys' reviews. Those will be answered on the way. Such as the "You suck" comment by Hikaru or the fact he's too mean or this or that. Keep asking and bringing up those points. I love seeing how everything looks from your guys' perspectives. Really, _**all**_ of you guys are _**amazing**_.


	5. Chapter Four

**Jeremy Irons (1948- present) said: "We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams."**

--

"Sai," the boy pondered out loud.

Waya Yoshitaka, one of the other insei students, had brought up the Internet Igo Legend. Again. Though they had brought it up due to the article written by the highly favored Igo reporter Amano, it was still an old and over-digested topic. While the insei students discussed the mysteries of the Igo player, Isumi Shinichiro sat and wondered. Ochi Kosuke yelled up a fit at the Internet Igo Legend being discussed for far too long. Waya had enjoyed that as a pissed off Ochi was Waya's favorite Ochi.

This subject was a sore subject around Ochi as the very driven insei student's ultimate goal was to be Toya Akira's rival. Akira ignored most insei students and preferred to drive his own Igo forward. While Waya would complain on how little Akira thought of the insei, this inattention drove Ochi Kosuke to the end of his rope. Not that Ochi had much rope to cling onto… Ochi did not have much luck left with capturing Akira's interest. Toya Akira was obsessed with Sai.

And still Isumi Shinichiro wondered.

"Sai?"

It was a familiar name as Sai was the Internet Igo Legend. Sai had been the reigning legend on the Internet for a little over two years. Waya Yoshitaka was a good friend of Isumi and kept a keen eye on the legend. Isumi listened to the theories carefully. As an Internet player, Sai was online during a small chunk of the morning every other school day. Most of the time Sai was online playing was from four in the afternoon to eight in the evening. So unless Isumi missed his guess and _this_ Sai was a teacher…

A familiar legend whose name Isumi had heard plenty of times, but he knew the name before the legend came. Isumi wondered.

Was it Shindo Hikaru?

--

"Hello and welcome to…Isumi Shinichiro, is that you?"

Nervously, Isumi laughed. "Yes. Hello Harumi."

Ichikawa Harumi grinned at the taller boy and eyed him up and down. She whistled at him a little with a wink. "So grown up, polite still, lucky girl will have the perfect gentleman when you decide to settle down. Your three old men are still here, did you want a game with them Isumi? I'll hand you a free game to stay, they're getting fussier."

Isumi smiled politely. "Actually, no, but thanks for the offer Harumi. I was hoping to talk to Hikaru, the younger boy who came in here."

Harumi's face fell. "Shindo Hikaru?"

"Yes." Isumi Shinichiro frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"Hikaru stopped coming here shortly after you moved. His mother discovered him here one day with a friend."

Isumi's eyes widened. He had played against the younger boy often enough here to know how Hikaru's mother disliked his Igo playing. It was often a source of trouble for the dark haired boy. Hikaru had even stopped playing games for his imaginary friend Sai and insisted that he play his own Igo games. It was why Isumi wanted to talk to the boy, this whole Internet legend of Sai seemed closely related to the imaginary friend. Perhaps Hikaru liked the name to make it his handle online. However, no matter how quickly Hikaru picked up on Igo, this sort of strength seemed far too high for Shindo Hikaru.

"Yes, Hikaru hasn't been here since he was eight, a little over three years ago. He'd be close to eleven or twelve now, getting ready for middle school. His last game has been a well protected secret; none here wish to upset your three old men any further."

"Upset? Why are they upset?"

Harumi sighed. "After you and Hikaru left, no other young players have captured their attention. That's saying something as everyone else's interest has become captured by one in particular. They get into arguments more quickly, but agree on one thing. You and Hikaru were their first students; as such they are vehement on protecting you two."

Isumi frowned. "Protecting us?"

"Yes. No one is to bring you two up. The closest anyone can get is mentioning Sai before they glare the person down," Harumi laughs. "They miss their two young pupils. It's why I offered you the free game. It's getting ridiculous. Ah, watch here, Akira's at it again."

Curious, Isumi turned to see what Harumi pointed at.

"Excuse me but I really must know," Toya Akira bowed before the three old men. Isumi blinked at the fact they all looked the same except for Noburu. Ironic, Noburu hated change as much as Isumi could remember. Yuudai and Noburu shot the young Igo prodigy nasty glares, Hibiki paused to stare at Akira.

Toya Akira was determined though and wouldn't be deterred by scowls. "Who is Sai? Where is he? I must play him again! I have improved and it has been over three years since that game!"

"Go sit back in that corner and play others like Hirose," Noburu snapped. "We have no need for any ghosts of the past!"

Isumi blinked at Noburu's words. Noburu missed the pair of students he never wanted? Strange. Yet, why was Toya Akira here demanding information on Sai here? Unless, Akira played Hikaru… But Isumi would remember if the pair had a game. He was always at the Igo Saloon when Hikaru was. Except…

"Harumi? Is this the last game you spoke of being protected? He gave up playing for his imaginary spirit years ago."

Unfortunately, Isumi's whisper to Harumi caught more attention than he liked.

"You know who Sai is?! I owe that jerk!"

"Uh, jerk?" Perhaps Isumi could talk his way out of this.

"He told me I suck! I'm going to prove him wrong and win our unfinished game!"

It was hardly the most sensible thing to do but Shinichiro Isumi burst out into laughter. "I forgot about his favorite trick! How he would declare 'You suck' and attack me emotionally! I can't believe he told you that!" Isumi took deep breaths to calm down. "Then again, you probably reminded him of my politeness. Sorry about that."

The three old men gapped in sudden recognition. "Isumi's back," cried Yuudai joyfully.

"So you know him!?"

Isumi shook his head. "No. You played against Sai and I can't help you there."

"But," Akira frowned. "That boy is Sai, isn't he?"

"I can't say. Some part of him is Sai I suppose. I came back to find out if he was using the handle Sai online."

"That cocky little boy is still making a mess of Igo?"

Isumi smiled at Noburu's question. "If the Sai online is in fact him, then yes, he's making a very large mess indeed."

"Stupid kid," Noburu grumbled. "No respect at all. Wish I could shove some respect for his elders on him."

Ichikawa Harumi cleared her throat loudly and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Well, now that one of you finally openly speaks about the poor boy… Noburu, I'm surprised at it being you."

Noburu glared as if to say he did no such thing. Yuudai and Hibiki both covered their snickers at the most stubborn of their group admitting he wanted to see Hikaru once again. It wasn't often Noburu expanded _any_ of his outlooks on life.

"Ichikawa-san," Akira broke in with a hopeful look. "What does that paper say?"

Harumi grinned at the attention many gave her now and waved the bit of paper. "Now that the three old geezers here are willing to bring him up, Isumi came back to see him, and Akira is looking for his rematch… This has his and Isumi's addresses upon it. Shall we call him or make a visit?"

The group glanced at each other, turned and dived onto Harumi.

--

"Just a minute," Shindo Mitsuko called out. She hurriedly dried her hands with the kitchen towel. "Coming!"

She pulled open the door slowly and blinked as she took in the person at her door. The door opened more widely. "Yes? Can I help you sir?"

"Yes, is your son Shindo Hikaru?"

Shindo Mitsuko frowned and wiped a still wet palm against her skirt. "Are you one of his school teachers? I get enough calls about him as it is."

The man blinked at this note but smiled. "I certainly hope I can be one of his school teachers. I'm here to offer your son Hikaru scholarship to Kaio Middle School."

"Kaio…Middle School? Are you certain you have the right boy and house? Hikaru may do passably well but he's not Kaio Middle School material."

The man laughed. "His grades are something I looked at. He should be fine, perhaps a tutor in English or Mathematics necessary. However, I am interested in his Igo skills for Kaio's Igo Club. I am Yun, in charge of Kaio's prestigious Igo Club."

Shindo Mitsuko gapped like a fish.

The phone inside rang and she jumped. "Please, come in. Hikaru! Could you answer the phone? We've got company!"

Yun watched as the young boy bounded down the stairs. Hikaru cast the older man a curious glance. His bangs had been bleached, different than the picture Yun was shown by the grandfather. But it was Shindo Hikaru. He had been warned in advance that the kid was very unique and not the poster child of Igo. But Shindo Heihachi showed Yun a game between the pair and Yun could see the strength. However, it was difficult to see how strong Hikaru was against his grandfather who participated in amateur tournaments. Heihachi did well but Hikaru could be much higher…and much more influential in the Igo pro world.

"Eh!? Mom, you dating him!?"

Yun coughed, trying not to laugh at the boy's first impression of him.

"Hikaru, be nice to our guest. He's here for you."

"Really? I'm a little young," the boy teased.

"Hikaru! The phone!"

"Fine, fine," Hikaru grumbled. He noticed his mother was no longer in the room and grinned. The phone pressed to Yun's ear.

"Hello? Hikaru?"

Yun pointed to the boy, mouthing it was for him. The boy shook his head, snickering at the man answering a phone call from one of his friends. A thumping noise echoed in Yun's ear and he heard something he never thought he would hear. Definitely not something he expected from the normally calm and polite Toya Akira.

"You suck! Quit hiding and refusing my games Sai! We are going to finish our game!"

--

--

--

Amano-san: A reporter for the "Go Weekly". Amano believes that Hikaru is overrated at first. After witnessing a miraculous comeback from Hikaru, Amano changes his mind.

Yun-sensei: Yun is Akira's Middle School teacher who is in charge of the school Igo club. He is originally from Korea. He worked as a go instructor for young children.

Hirose-san: a regular who goes to the Toya Saloon, greets Akira while waving a fan and asks how the first match of the pro exam went. Calls Akira Akira-sensei. Mentions he saw Shindo at a web café. Akira demands information from Hirose-san and then rushes off to see if it was Shindo playing him. Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on your personal view) Akira only finds Shindo reading the web comic "Go! Go! Stupid Eggplant Boy!"

- from episode 18, when Akira misses the first match of the pro exam to play Sai online


	6. Chapter Five

**Franlin P. Jones (1774-1848) said: "Nothing changes your opinion of a friend so surely as success—yours or his."**

--

"I can't believe you Hikaru," grumped out a fellow classmate of the boy in question. He swept his hair farther to the left side of his face with a careless ruffle of his hand. His wide eyes glanced up to the trees, pupils still abnormally small in proportion to his eyes even in the dark. "You somehow manage to get us lost. Curfew was a full ten minutes ago."

"Aw, shut up Okumura," Shindo Hikaru replied cheerfully. He smacked his classmate easily. "You're all mouth and give up too easily."

Okumura's shoulders slumped and he glared over to his carefree classmate. "How are you not worried?"

For the very life of him, Okumura was worried about Shindo Hikaru's personality right now. It was all well and fine to be carefree to tick off the loony, as Hikaru and Okumura had dubbed him at the start of the school year. But to be this carefree about getting lost, in the forest, at night, when it was beginning to get cold, when all their classmates were toasty warm in bed as _they were supposed to_right now…was not settling for Okumura.

Shindo Hikaru scoffed at Okumura. "Please. You forget the loony we're rooming with."

Okumura stared and blinked. What about the loony would solve their problem? Rolling his eyes at Hikaru, Okumura put up a sarcastic front. "Oh, right. It'd be just like you to think Akira would go far enough and put a tracker on you."

Shindo Hikaru went wide eyed. The search upon his body quickly began. "It would! Why didn't I realize that? That's damn creepy of Toya!"

The red head glared at Shindo Hikaru. "I was joking. Hikaru, I doubt he's that obsessed."

"I don't," Hikaru continued his search. Hands patted all around as Shindo Hikaru stated why he thought the loony was so obsessed about him. "The loony _is_obsessed. That Igo game took place when we were eight years old. Sai wasn't even an Internet Igo Legend at the time. Probably wasn't even playing online at the time either."

"That's right! I was playing you," the ghost piped in. "Perhaps though… You should attempt to find our way back soon Hikaru. I would hate for you to spend the night out in the open like this."

Shindo Hikaru snorted and stopped his search of a tracking device. "Yeah, more like you," Hikaru scoffed at the ghost.

"More like me how Hikaru?" Okumura ruffled his hair back to the left side. "You cannot be putting me in the same category as the loony."

"Yes, I can," Shindo Hikaru was quick to reply. He glowered over at Okumura, lip jutted out to show his displeasure. "Both my roommates on this class trip are loonies. Insisting past all reason for that one game of Igo. Toya obsessed with the game with Sai and you are obsessed with beating Toya."

"I'll beat him someday," Okumura insisted. "I'll become that good."

"What? By playing a mirror game again," Hikaru snorted.

Okumura's face went red. It was why Shindo Hikaru and he were such good buddies on Kaio's Igo Club. Hikaru enjoyed watching Okumura's tests to defeat Akira with his silly schemes. He always deferred Akira to play Okumura rather than himself. It drove Toya Akira mad on how Shindo Hikaru refused to play him. In fact, he refused to play anyone at all. Hikaru usually entertained himself during club time by recreating Igo games. That is, until the club filled up the brackets for figuring out which three would represent the Kaio Igo Club for the first school competition.

"Don't remind me of that! I was just beginning Igo not even a year ago! And it's not like anyone on our Igo Club can beat Akira yet! There's hope yet! I will be the one to defeat that stuck up guy. Besides, you know the only reason the loony joined the Igo Club was so he could play you. Going on and on how you two have a game to finish. You should just—"

"I've never played the loony," Shindo Hikaru snapped at Okumura's rant. The red head flinched, knowing Hikaru sometimes became sore around that subject. "Sai is the one who played Toya, not me!"

"No, no," Okumura screamed at Hikaru to make his friend stop. "I'm just saying you should just play him; get the loony to shut up about playing the legendary Sai. I mean, Sai is the Internet Igo Legend, who only plays on the Internet. There's no way you are Sai. Just play to get the loony to leave you alone."

Shindo Hikaru breathed out a sigh, eyes falling to the ground.

"I can't. I'd feel as though I'd be taking away something. Something that is not mine to take away and it would never be a real game…"

He trailed off. Shindo Hikaru didn't truly have the chance to have that against Toya Akira.

Akira would not be seeing Shindo Hikaru as his opponent and challenge, but would be seeing Sai. No matter which of the two played. The idea of playing such a game threw Hikaru on edge and he hated Toya Akira for demanding him to do so. Shindo Hikaru just simply could not play Toya Akira.

He knew very deeply how it felt, to have that rival directly across the Igo board and have it ripped away. Toya Akira may want that game finished from back then, but Shindo Hikaru couldn't face that game. He met every player since then as an Igo rival. However, there always seemed to be something missing.

But Sai could never have that chance against anyone. Sai will never be able to look eye to eye, challenging the other seated across the board. It would be Hikaru clicking the computer mouse, playing moves for the ghost against an unseen challenger. Hikaru could deeply agree with Sai on this…it was not the same. The feel of the pieces, the board, and the sight of the opponent could not be reproduced online.

Hikaru possibly wanted that old game finished more than Akira. But damned if he'd let Akira do so. Not after what Toya Akira caused to happen once again. He should have ignored ALL of Toya Akira's phone calls. After all, he learned to recognize the number quickly enough to let the answering machine pick up on Akira. There were some fun voice recordings Hikaru would change the answering machine to…just for Toya Akira's calls. But on that particular day before starting Kaio Middle School, he had picked up the ringing phone for his mother, seeing as she had company in the Shindo household and it would be rude of them to let the device trill away with company.

Hikaru could still remember Akira's voice on the phone sharply insisting, "The same Sai who played me three years ago is you."

"Look Toya," Hikaru had ground into the phone. He glanced about for his mother, _especially_the company she had over for the afternoon. "I've told you before. I am not Sai. I am Shindo Hikaru."

"The same boy who called himself Sai," Akira kept on with his belief. "I have been waiting three years—"

"Loser. Wait three years more. I am not Sai. Nor have I ever gone by the name of Sai. You are wishing to play against a ghost," Hikaru had informed Toya Akira at a whispering level. However, that idea soon failed him and resulted in his recent anger directed at Akira.

"What do you mean by that?! Are you saying Sai isn't real," Akira had yelled into the phone. There was a silence around the house at Akira's voice through the phone was loud enough for all to hear and it echoed in Hikaru's memory. "You and I played, moves marked down on a board, forever etched in my mind. Go by whatever name you please! I am playing you Sai!"

"Sai and I are two separate people," Hikaru had screamed back. His eyes widened at the sudden admission that flew from his mouth. "Shit!" With that, he had slammed the phone down on the receiver.

Sai had yelled at him for his language, Hikaru recalled.

Dr. Jimyoin had been the visitor that day, just in the other room with Shindo Hikaru's mother. Neither of the adults failed to notice what the boy screamed into the mouthpiece. Nor what the other boy on the phone was screaming about neither.

It was then that Dr. Jimyoin remade the suggested weekly visits to his office, rather than the monthly check up on the Shindo household. It was the reason why the damned psychologist had even been there that day, and also why Shindo Mitsuki was on edge.

His mother insisted that Hikaru "patronize" the older psychologist and attend the weekly talks with him. Although Hikaru's mother teased her son about his imaginary friend and laughed at the wild tales he came up with, Hikaru could see that his mother was once again slightly worried about his mental health. Thus, Hikaru grudgingly dragged himself down to Dr. Jimyoin's office on a weekly basis and fought off the psychologist's questions as best he could. Every free day of the week, every Sunday, he had to go and deal with Dr. Jimyoin.

And it was all Toya Akira's fault. Really. Shindo Hikaru had been doing fine. Sai had been doing fine. One playing people face to face. One playing people monitor to monitor. And now it was back to Dr. Jimyoin's office once again. Damned psychologist. Damned loony for getting his mother and Dr. Jimyoin worried about his 'mental well-being' again.

"Hi-ka-ru! Hi-ka-ru! Your friend is worried like me. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Hikaru said breezily toward Okumura. He pulled himself out of his former thoughts of how much he hated Toya Akira for getting the damned psychologist on his back again. The red head narrowed his wide eyes; small pupils making the look appear more threatening. Then Okumura finally flipped as his buddy and fellow Igo club member merely blinked and shrugged.

"You're not fine! There's something wrong with you Hikaru! Here you are daydreaming about the loony, ignorant of all else around when we are still LOST IN THE MIDDLE OF FREAKING NOWHERE WHEN IT IS DARK AND CREEPY AND COLD AND I AAAAAWCK!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?!"

Okumura huffed and puffed; his red hair all over the place as he did not even bother to fix it as he normally did. Pupils even smaller, he shook from the effort to NOT attack the boy beside him. For Shindo Hikaru had just calmly reached over and thumped him over the head.

"You give up too easily. We'll be fine. A forest does not go on forever in Japan. Soon enough we'll find people and get back to the class trip. Just think of this as another part of the class trip," Hikaru said evenly and then shrugged. "I don't see why you're making such a fuss about this. Teachers will be too worried to punish us by the time we get back so relax already, you loon."

Okumura gave up and jumped onto Shindo Hikaru with a grin, an arm wrapping his classmate into a headlock, the other giving him a nuggie.

"Awck! Hey!" Hikaru grinned and began wrestling Okumura to get out of the hold.

"A loon am I?"

"Yeah you are," Hikaru chirped back and then grunted as he shoved the other.

"I actually got the loony to agree to play me tonight, instead of bugging you for a game!"

"Oh, really? And I'm supposed to be thankful to you Okumura?"

"Yes, yes you are!" Okumura tripped up Hikaru's feet and the pair fell, Okumura using the fall to his advantage to try pinning Hikaru to the forest floor.

"But you'd be asking Toya anyway, so I owe you noth-ing!" On the last syllable, Hikaru flipped Okumura around and under him.

"Yes," spoke up a stern voice. Hikaru and Okumura froze in the middle of their impromptu wrestling match. "But I think the two of you owe me and the rest of the class something."

Slowly, the two turned their heads around to see Toya Akira shining a flashlight at them with one hand, cell phone in the other, his face blank as though he couldn't believe what he saw. Behind Akira was the rest of the class, flashlights also at hand, giggling and chortling at the caught pair. Shindo Hikaru nervously grinned at the classmates, looked down at Okumura's gapping mouth, and then began laughing.

"Okay, okay," spoke up another voice from the crowd of lights, shadows, and people. Yun-sensei stepped forward around Toya Akira. "Now that we have found the pair of you, everyone will return to their rooms. Everyone," he repeated as a few of the kids groaned. "It is well past time for sleep if we are to get up tomorrow."

The class slowly trickled off, chattering away as they were allowed to be up this long after curfew thanks to two of their classmates. Yun-sensei looked back over to Hikaru and Okumura standing next to each other, poking and prodding roughly at each other in a continuation of their previously interrupted fight.

"I'll be talking to both of you then about this," the teacher said sternly. This got their attention once more and Okumura blushed at being caught, pulling back his hand from attack. Shindo Hikaru used the chance to get one last poke in, before spotting the disapproving look sent by Yun-sensei. "Shindo. Let's _not_get in trouble before the Igo competition. Everyone is much looking forward to see you two play against each other for the next game in the brackets. Rankings for it are almost done and you look to have a excellent shot at a chair, along with Akira here."

The teacher walked off and the three roommates followed behind the Igo club teacher. Shindo Hikaru made a face. "Yeah," he grumbled softly. "But to do that, I've got to play the loony to rank myself up in a chair."

Toya Akira tilted his face to his outspoken roommate. "I figured you'd do something as much. You are not going to get out of this game…Sai."

"I'm not Sai you freaking daft idiot of a brainless imprudent—"

"Shindo." Yun-sensei's voice cut into Hikaru's rant. The teacher did not even turn around to face his student. "Points for using two of the new vocabulary words, but what did I say about getting into trouble before finishing the club rankings?"

"Not to do it," Hikaru muttered out dejectedly. He kicked at the dirt.

"Should have figured that's why you weren't normal in being freaked out of being lost in the woods," Okumura said with a grin. The boy shook his head, hand ruffling his red hair back to the left. "Hikaru, you are just too much."

"Too much greater than you," Hikaru snapped back playfully.

Okumura shook his head and poked Hikaru in the ribs quickly. "I'll get up there soon enough. Just because you beat me for team rankings, doesn't mean I won't defeat Akira soon."

The said Igo player and roommate of the other two snorted lightly. Scowling, both Hikaru and Okumura turned to face him. Shindo Hikaru blinked, noticing Toya Akira was constantly staring down at his cell phone in the one hand.

"No one ever calls you on that thing. What the heck are you doing on it? And what is with the weird screen on it now?"

Toya Akira glanced up to the other two staring curiously at his cell phone. He held it up for them to see the arrow upon the screen. "I have a GPS application on it. That way," Akira said with a point in the said direction, "is the way back to the rooms our class is staying at. It is also how I know where you were, using the GPS cell phone tracking system."

Shindo Hikaru and Okumura stared in utter shock.

"I was only joking," Okumura repeated to himself.

"That's damned creepy of you Toya! You would put a tracker on me!"

Akira frowned and waved his cell phone before Hikaru slightly. "No, it's on all cell phones. I did not—"

"Clunk."

"OUCH! What the…?"

All three of the roommates froze suddenly. In his need to get the tracker off of him, Shindo Hikaru had chucked his cell phone across the forest to get rid of it. Unfortunately, his cell phone hit Yun-sensei in the back of the head. Hikaru had a sudden headache as Sai began yelling about attacking his teacher.

Attacking his teacher. Those words seemed to put up a light in Shindo Hikaru's head.

"I did it! That's right!" Hikaru proclaimed at once. "My cell phone! I threw it! And I have two witnesses other than you Yun-sensei! So… What's the punishment for attacking a teacher at Kaio Middle School?"

All three surrounding Shindo Hikaru went wide eyed at how Hikaru finally got out of playing Igo against Akira in the club rankings. Shindo Hikaru grinned.

--

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Okumura – One of the three boys in Kaio's Igo Club whom attempted to defeat Toya Akira unfairly, but making him play two simultaneous games blind. Yuri Hidaka catches them in the act and puts a stop to the bullying. He was the freshman of the group, same grade as Toya Akira and thus Shindo Hikaru. He's the same one who played a mirror game against Toya Akira in a different Igo game.  
–from episode 8


End file.
